Peterson's endorsements evaporating

For as long as he has been in the NFL, Adrian Peterson has been one of the most popular and marketable players in the league, an approachable superstar with the kind of inspirational comeback story that made him an endorser's dream.

Now that he is facing a felony charge of child abuse for spanking his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch, the Minnesota running back is in the middle of a firestorm the likes of which he has never seen before, and several high-profile sponsors are starting to distance themselves while the controversy envelopes a league in crisis.

In the wake of the Vikings' decision to allow Peterson to play while the legal process plays out in Texas, the Radisson hotel chain has suspended its relationship with the Vikings. Special Olympics Minnesota and Mylan Inc severed ties with Peterson and Nike stores in the Twin Cities have stopped selling merchandise with his name on it.